


ZeroX Week 2020

by Kosei, XZERO (Kosei)



Series: ZeroX week 2020 [1]
Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X
Genre: Angst, Blue - Freeform, Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Lucid Dreaming, M/M, Movie: Cars 2 (2011), Oneshot, Post-Rockman X8 | Mega Man X8, Romantic Fluff, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, ZeroX week 2020, bayyybeeee, bunch of oneshots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22671289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kosei/pseuds/Kosei, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kosei/pseuds/XZERO
Summary: 1) Casual- Douglas loves Cars 2.2) Blue- You would think Zero would love the color red.3) Valentines- what kind of valentines tradition involved rings?4)Dream- X dreams about his sun.5)Comfort- What happens again on the orbital elevator.Touch6)Distance- X longs for what is not possible7) Free prompt!
Relationships: X/Zero (Rockman)
Series: ZeroX week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1630942
Comments: 31
Kudos: 41





	1. Casual

Zero knocked on the door to X’s room. In a few moments, the door opened and X stood there with his reading glasses on. Well, technically he didn’t need them but he said before that they help him get in the right headspace needed for working.

Whatever that meant. 

If this was a year- no, a few months ago he would have been in shock at the sight. X in a large blue sweatshirt and snoopy-brand pajama bottoms and no armor, hell, no helmet to be seen. He must’ve just taken it off as his chestnut-brown curls looked wind-tossed and messy.

To be honest, he didn’t look anything like the figure of X that was paraded as a hero and a savior. He looked like a scrawny college student trying to get his term paper done.

“Why are you working?” Zero asked. “Today’s our off-day.”

“That’s today?” X blinked and took his round glasses off, stuffing one of the temple pieces into the sweatshirt so it was pinned in place. The silver frame glinted in the fluorescent lights.

“I was wondering why nobody was calling me…”

With the recent peace and lack of maverick attacks, Signas had let X and Zero have an off-day, which they sorely lacked. It was one, just one. But...

Zero could think of a few ways to spend it, that mainly involved kisses, and so could X, judging by how his cheeks flushed. Even with the lack of any kind of blood flow.

“I’ve been looking forward to it, I don’t know how I forgot.” X chuckled, “Well, you can come in-”

“X!!!! ZERO!!!”

Zero internally groaned but still turned around to face Douglas.

Douglas wasn’t a bad guy, really. Sometimes he was a little clingy and when talking about any recent tech he was very opinionated and got into arguments easily but he was fine in Zero’s databank.  
What was unforgivable was his recent obsession with the Cars franchise.

Something most didn’t know about Zero is that he loathed, loathed, the conglomerate known as Disney. Of course, back in the year 20XX the Disney company was dismantled and sold for auction to various companies and all of their properties. Most of their franchises were in the public domain now, not that anyone gave enough a fuck about their outdated and antiquated views on human society anymore. Star Wars, in particular, was slammed for its poor portrayal of human and reploid relations. The droids were mindless beings with no personality excluding a few and most found it so offensive it was banned in areas. 

In Zero’s opinion, it was accurate, they used them as instruments of war and destruction, just like in real life, but X would disapprove of that. So he disregarded the train of thought.

Although the former corporate giant was but ashes, occasionally a media company would get the bright idea to try and reboot the godawful franchises and the Hunterbase would be flooded with rookies with no taste singing or humming another reprise of Let it go, or whatever else.

So Douglas strolling in one day with large lightning McQueen crocs nearly made him gag on the energy he was drinking. Suddenly he was obsessed and right now he was wearing the bright red obnoxious mascots face, from the phrase “Ka-chow!” on his shirt to the smiling watch on his wrist.

Douglas didn’t miss the sour look on his face but was too busy trying to fix the “95” sticker he put on his glasses to think much of it.

“Heya guys!”

“Hey, Douglas! What’s up, you need something?” X asked.

“Well I don’t really need anything, I just have R-pizza and Cars 2 playing in my room and I need someone to watch it with.”

Zero almost laughed, like hell he was going to spend his off day watching Cars 2. “No way-”

“Sure we’ll watch it with you Douglas!” X chirped merrily. Zero breathed out through his nose like a bull and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Alright then! You better hurry, pizzas gonna get cold!”

Zero turned to X, who could sense what he was about to say and took preemptive actions from any anger he may have by kissing his cheek.

“I can’t think of any way to spend the day better than cuddling and a movie with you. And Douglas is kinda lonely, I feel bad for him. Everyone thinks he’s weird.”

“That’s because he is. Anyone who enjoys watching talking cars is a weirdo.”

X rolled his eyes, “Says the guy who only eats for ‘maximum fuel efficiency-’”

“I don’t understand why everyone is hung up about the taste of energy. What should matter is the zinc to arsenic ratio. Not how accurate the flavor is to organic pizza.”

“It’s only going to be an hour or so, and we can spend the rest of the day in my room okay?”

Zero sighed, knowing this was a fight he lost.

“Fine. But put your helmet back on, only I have the right to see you in such a compromised state.”

“Oh Z, you’re too overprotective. No one even recognizes me like this besides you, and well, Douglas. But that’s because he does repairs on my helmet from time to time. Not even Alia recognizes me without it on, and with the glasses-” he puts them on “I’m a whole new person.”

“Not really, you don’t lose your adorable factor.”

X faltered for a bit, face turning red, and punched his shoulder.

“Ow-”

“You’re the one who wants to keep this secret! So have it stay that way!”

“Fine, fine. But it’s not like anyone can’t put two and two together. I don’t exactly have an entire legion of friends like you do.”

“I don't have that many friends, you know that.” X pouted, cheeks rounded.

“Alright, alright…”

Stepping into Douglas’ room felt like stepping in his own personal hell. He couldn’t stop himself from closing his eyes and frowning, the bright red burning into his retinas.

He opened them, but it wasn’t much better. A pile of scrap metal and a screwdriver sat on his desk. It was once clean white, now smudged with grease and littered with stickers of smirking cars. Bright eyes staring soullessly at him. In one corner a whole barrage of them (why would they make a car into a plushie?!) was stacked into a large pile. Even more stickers were piled on the outside of his recharge pod, the inside fitted with red sheets and Lightning fucking McQueen staring at him.

“I know a lot of critics- especially for the time, criticize the second movie for being a schlocky spy movie that focuses on the comedy relief Tow Mater, but in my opinion- (Oh god) -with the first movie being a fish out of water story. You know, the main character Lightning McQueen ending up in a small town, far from the race and the cities with the bright lights he is accustomed to. I think the second movie with the main character becoming a spy really fits the tone of the franchise, since being a spy and traveling around the world is out of Tow Mater's comfort zone.”

While X nodded along with a slice of pizza, Zero was completely dumbfounded.

“What are you talking about?”

“Ah, you’ll see. It is a Cinematic classic.”

If a cinematic classic has a character act like a moron and spills rancid oil in front of everyone then he didn't want to know what qualifies as being bad. He looked in disgust at the primitive animation.

"I don’t get it."

"Get what?” X asked through his bites of lemon-zappers. Douglas also looked at the pair, X nibbling on sweets with Zero, stiff as ever, rigid on the couch, an arm around relaxed X.

"Why did he say ‘Like a neighbor Tow Mater is there?' I feel like that's some sort of reference.’

“Actually it is! Back in the year 20XX there was an insurance company called ‘State Farm’-”

“What the fuck is insurance?”

“Oh, basically, if a human died while they had insurance, they’d get money for their family.” Douglas explained.

“Why the fuck would you need that?”

X chimed in, “well if the main breadwinner of the family died, it would mean bad news for the rest of the family to suddenly need to scramble and find a way to support themselves.”

“Why wouldn’t they all get a job?"

“Traditionally, the man is the breadwinner, while the mother stays home, helps the kids, does chores, and cooks. Of course there are exceptions but that's how most households function.”

“That’s stupid and inefficient. They could use that money from working to put back into childcare and provide better.”

"I don't recall humans ever being rational but you know a lot about this stuff X!”

X laughed, “I learned a lot from Dr. Cain recounting his childhood.¨

Douglas suddenly looked awkward, fixing his red-tinted glasses and looking back to the screen.

"What’s wrong?"

"I-It’s just I never knew the guy and he’s dead right? Kinda awkward…’

“..." X was quiet.

Zero snuck in a quick kiss on the cheek, this brought x out of his deep through and he giggled, grinning and kissing him back.

"You are such a hypocrite, not wanting to be found out-” he whispered

"How many kisses do ya think we can sneak in before he notices?

X hummed, “Want to find out?

Zero smirked back.

"Well that was fun, wasn't it? I gotta say, that ending gets me every time, a reprise with the same tourists from the first movie, totally unexpected reference. Classic. And although we don’t see Mater’s girlfriend in the 3rd movie, it's still very heartwarming. Oh! speaking of the third movie, it isn’t my favorite but wow… I can only imagine seeing the trailer in the theaters back in the year 2017…” he gushed, “His breathing thumping in your ears, the exhilarating car crash. It's a totally tragic movie about Lightning McQueen striving to return to form- wait, what do you guys say about watching the 3rd movie?”

"Huh?" Zero looked up and X nuzzled into his chest, "Sure, sounds fun."

Douglas was over the moon and ignored how much closer they were on the couch, legs intertwined, both of their faces flushed red. "Oh boy!" he hopped up and retrieved the blue-ray from the shelf.

“You know X, this wasn’t so bad after all.”

“See? I told you.”

“You’re right, you’re always right.”

“Oh stop~”

“Never.”

Douglas laughed, “You guys are like an old married couple sometimes!”

If only you knew Douglas if only you knew. Zero just said, 

“Oh?”

“Yeah! If I didn’t know better I’d almost think you were dating.”

“Where’d you hear that from?” X snickered.

“Weird rumor going around. But you guys aren’t like that right?”

“Of course not. We’re just friends.”

“Haha, yeah. Like Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater.”

“Exactly.” And as soon as Douglas looked away he dove in for another kiss.


	2. Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But truthfully it's blue.

Blue is something that means a lot to Zero.

Some would think his favorite color would be red, with the color on his armor and all. It suits him. It’s aggressive, just like how he is.

But no, it’s blue. 

Zero isn’t one to think so much about aesthetics and design, but the color blue jumps out at him. Every time he’s out and about in his day to day lives, and every time there’s a maverick with a blue color scheme. 

He’s done some research into the color to try and rationalize his fascination. It’s used in media and shopping signs for people to slow down and rationalize their decisions. Red is the opposite, for rash and spontaneous decisions, sales, and clearances. The color blue is shown to calm and slow metabolism in humans. Likely because the same calming effect is present in water, which most associate with the color blue. Most blue mavericks are related to the ocean in some way, and so are most reploids. 

Some think of life, and the sustenance of it with the hue. Of the world, which largely consists of water. How all living things need it. Reploids are created with the substance as a cooling agent. Even the energy canisters have h2O molecules present in. 

In terms of psychology though, red is an aggressive, passionate color. It’s associated with anger and love. Two widely different emotions on a spectrum of its own. Two emotions Zero is familiar with.

Blue is known to represent trust and loyalty, along with wisdom. Things he finds to be prevalent in his friend.

Yes, in the end, when he thinks about the color blue, he thinks about X. His most trusted, most deeply beloved, well, anyone. X trusts him more than anyone else. He trusts him with his life, and Zero has returned the favor by sacrificing himself for him. 

“Some humans call the ocean ‘big blue.’” X says as they stare over the calm fluttering waves. Seagulls chirp in the distance. His white-gloved hand holds X’s like the pair was meant to be intertwined. 

“Because it’s big and blue? Whoever came up with that must’ve been creative.” Zero responds dryly.

“Well, what’s a better name for it then?”

Zero pauses for a moment staring over the horizon, and the mesmerizing waves moving and pulling and pushing against each other, glittering in the sun.

“See?”

“Alright, you have a point there. I suppose ‘big blue’ works- wait did you just make a pun?” he whips his head at him. X stares until the realization sets in, 

“Oh! Haha, didn’t even mean to do that!” 

“Hmph… It’s kind of nice… all this blue. It’s…”

“Calming?”

“I guess.”

“I like red better though.”

His green eyes- neither blue or red, staring at him. “Why’s that?”

“Cause that’s the color you are.”

Zero blinks. “Oh. In that case… I should tell you, blue is my favorite color.”

X smiles.

When his lips are on his he feels calm and serene, everything is right, because everything is-

Blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah ik, ik.  
> Next one is gonna rock your dicks off.


	3. Valentines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> X isn't sure what kind of valentines tradition involves rings but he's sure Zero has it under control.  
> Well not really.

Valentine's day. 

X’s stomach (metaphorical one) twisted with knots.

_“Why don’t we do something for Valentine's day?”_

They shared an office some days when they were both assigned to paperwork duty. X was trying (very badly) to write an email requesting more funding for chaser bikes (it wasn’t their fault they were impossible to slow down). His head was not in it, a couple of the words in the email were replaced with “Valentine.” He’s never been so distracted by something to write it in emails; that was the sign to take action before he burst.

That was when he said that dreaded sentence. 

Zero was silent for a moment, X trying to keep his core calm by staring at the potted plant on his desk of green-to-violet succulents. Until the glints of his armor moved as he spun around in the office chair, his hair weightlessly carried in the current. 

“...I would like to but you know I’m not familiar with human holidays, X. I wouldn’t know what to do,” he replied calmly, his hands relaxing on his thighs. 

“I-I understand that but…” he tried to hide how crestfallen he felt- but judging by Zero’s now intense expression, eyes hardened and blue eyes glinted scarily with determination, he’s going to guess he failed. 

“Well… I had something I wanted to give you… And I didn’t want to make you feel guilty by not getting me anything.”

Zero’s face was like a stone for a long moment until he stood, patting both hands onto his shoulder. X craned his head up, feeling even shorter than usual as he towered over him.

“I’ll do my best.”

“Zero-”

“If anyone asks for me, tell them I’m doing research.” he bent over to kiss the gem on his forehead and spun around so quick his luscious locks whacked him in the face.

“See ya X!” without looking back he waved at him. Stunned, X only stared until he was gone from his line of sight.

X sighed, anxiety not dissipating. When he felt anxious or worried, he had a habit of holing up in his room. He was trying to curb that habit by standing in one of the busiest rooms in all of the headquarters. Navigators talked through their comms as they typed quickly on computers. Rookies gazed around the place with amazement as others dashed in and out quickly holding tablets and laptops and papers, while others lounged around with energy drinks chatting. An animaloid chuckled loudly in a corner as a few human-based reploids laughed with it. 

He smiled softly. Moments as heartwarming as that made it all worth it. As simple as seeing reploids getting along; It truly made everything worthwhile.

At least, until Sigma came back. He’d like to think he wouldn’t but he’s been told before to leave such naive wishes behind. He can’t force himself to-

“Oiiii! X!” 

He feels a hand on his shoulder. 

“Axl?”

The red-headed bot grins.

“Heya! You can tell it’s Valentine's Day am I right?”

X stared at him, “What?”

“You know!” he pointed up. X followed his finger and the pink-heart decorations winked at him from the ceiling.

“Oh! I didn’t even notice. Strange, they usually don’t put up decorations…”

“Hehe, Pallette gave me reploid-brand chocolates. I think she just gave them to me because she’s my navigator and all though. Or maybe she just wanted to be nice. I dunno.” he already unwrapped the heart-shaped box and was popping chocolates into his mouth. “Want one?” he asked, mouth full.

Normally X would have accepted the sweet but right now he was too flustered to concentrate, “No thanks Axl…”

“What’s wrong? You looked worried. Sigma didn’t come back again did he?”

“No, it isn’t that… I just feel anxious. Being here around people helps with that. Don’t worry about me.”

“Mm… You have a total shweet toof though. Whatever it is musht be bugging you.” his cheeks looked akin to a chipmunk now as he stuffed more and more of his face with the delectable treats. “I’m shurprised you don’t get lotsh of letters. You know, sinshe you’re maberwick hunter Ecks n’ all.”

“Axl, chew with your mouth closed.” he deadpanned. “And when it comes to that... Zero usually gets more Valentine’s letters.”

Axl swallowed harshly and sighed, “yeah, he is the hot one out of all of us.”

“But I do get my fair share of letters through the comms. Some do send them my way as physical copies.”

“The hell? Who sends a letter in the year 21XX?”

X chuckled, “I kinda like them. It makes it feel more personal… Sometimes I get letters from humans with chocolates saying they appreciate what I do. I feel like they forget I’m still a reploid… as the chocolates are usually organic…”

“Pfft. That’s humans for ya. Hey, speaking of which, where is Zero? Layer was wantin’ to give him something but I haven’t seen him all day. Where do you think he went off to?”

“...That’s what I’m worried about…”

“You think he’s gone off to get hitched with some chick?”

“This is Zero we’re talking about Axl. Do you think he’d do that?”

“I was wanting to see how you’d react! Listen I bet he’s got something really special for y-”

X made the signal for him to drop it but he marched on instead, 

-“Cause he was asking my advice about what size ring you wear.”

“What?”

“That’s what I said!” Axl made signs exaggeratedly with his hands, “I was like, why would you need to know that? And he just asked again and when I said no he left! I was like, rude! Oh, by the way, here's a present. I know you like crap like this I was going to give it during your birthday but I figured it fit the mood now. Cupid n’ all.”

Axl handed X a small mouse plushie with a halo and wings.

It was adorable.

“I’ll put this on my desk. Thanks, Axl!”

Although this was a momentary distraction, he could not think of a single Valentine's day related well, anything, that involved rings. What was he doing then that would require one…? He wondered, squeezing the plushie in his hands. It’s texture wasn’t very soft, the fibers coarse and a little prickly. Not enough to hurt, but it still wasn’t soft. It was like a beanbag, rubbing his fingers together revealed a sand-like texture within the plush. 

Axl beamed, happy his gift was met positively. “Well, don’t expect anything until your built-day in December. Er, activation day I mean. Hey, I think that’s Zero!”

It was unmistakably Zero. The red-clad armor, the blonde hair, the end of his saber that stuck out from behind his back. He was on almost a pre-fixed path, not stopping or wavering once, staring directly at him.

He did stop however once he reached X.

“X.”

“Zero…” he sighed, thinking about what he had for Zero. “It’s in my room. Follow me.” Zero nodded, once, and silently followed him.

… 

"I could have sworn it was in here..." X lifted one of the potted plants on his desk and placed the small plushie Axl gave him next to a fern. 

Zero stared at him as he now searched behind the said desk, 

“There it is. Ah… Happy Valentine's day!”

He looked at the outside of the cover of the thick book and peered up to X.

“Open it!”

He did, and his eyes widened at the sight.

“Oh… This is-”

“A scrapbook.” his cheeks flushed for the millionth time. “It’s not exactly- Well… I found that photo and it kind of spiraled from there.”

“X…” his hand grazed over the photo like he was scared it wasn’t real. “You never cease to amaze me. I never thought I’d see a photo of when we first met. I forgot all about thus...

“ I found it while looking through old files. Before the attack, I was taking photos of the buildings. I was… admiring the light as it reflected off the windows…”

They first met what felt like a long, long time ago. It was the beginning of the formation of the maverick hunters, Cain was out at a peace conference and while X couldn’t join, he took the opportunity to admire his surroundings. He first saw Zero taking down a maverick mechanoid by himself. X’s hand was visible in the corner, reaching out as Zero stabbed through it’s weak spots, stopping its rampage before any real damage was done. It was then Cain came out with Sigma, who introduced himself to X, who introduced him to Zero, and that was when everything began. 

X had insisted on taking a selfie that day, Zero didn’t bother to smile, his arms across the chest X beaming with a peace sign. Both Cain and Sigma were visible behind them, but only Sigmas elbow and Dr. Cains chin. 

“Take a look at the other pages!”

As he flipped through, there were more and more pictures of Zero and X. Occasionally other people would be in the photos. Or printed out clippings of newspapers, and pressed flowers with 4-leafed clovers.

The last page had a poem, which X promptly yanked out of his hands.

“Don’t read that.”

“Huh? Now I really wanna read it.” Zero smirked.

“A-at least not in front of me.”

“Awww come on. Give it.”

X shook his head.

“It’s my gift, I get to use it however I want.”

“Not- MMM-” 

He let out a strangled sort of noise as Zero forced his fingers to dance against his sides, the scrapbook fell with a fluttering of windy pages and gasps and jitters of laughter escaped his lips.

“Zero- Zero- quit it!” he giggled, “Quit it!” he tried to return the gesture but it was no good. X was and still is the only reploid he has ever known to be “ticklish.”

“I can’t believe you did that.” he blushed, the high of his laughter dying down.

“Your pouty face is adorable X~”

“Zerooooooo…”

“Come on, let me kiss you-”

X jerked his face away until he moved away, frowning. 

“Not until I see what my Valentine gift is. I’ve been thinking about it all day.”

His expression eased. “Alright, but we need to be in front of people.”

X was immediately perplexed, “I’ve never heard of a Valentine tradition where that is required…”

“Well, that's what it said.”

“I'm curious then. I am worried though… I don’t want this to interfere with our professional relationship… And… Well… If any mavericks found out-”

“They could use that against us. I know.”

“Well, are you positive that no one could… You know…”

“I’m certain. I don’t think there is anything innately romantic about it.”

“Well… I suppose it's fine.”

Axl was gone when they returned to the busy, busy room. The reploids bustling and talking and laughing had not ceased a bit. Zero froze in place.

“Well, what is it then? Hurry so-”

X was silenced when he got on one knee and then took out a velvety small black box.

What  
 _What_  
Excuse me-

_**WHAT?!** _

So that was what...the ring was for.

X didn't realize he put his hands over his face until he felt his warm fingers brushing over his nose. His eyes felt ready to pop out of the sockets in his head and he couldn’t stifle an odd noise escaping his throat. Reploids who did know what was going on stared in shock and the ones who didn't look on, confused. Nudging the ones beside them and whispering. Even the navigators had caught attention and stared, hands stagnant over the keys they were about to push. 

“Z-zero! What are you-”

“X… Every moment I spend with you is the happiest I’ve been. And without you, I would be lost. Will you spend forever with me?”

“Z-z-zero! you don’t-”

X nearly fainted when he saw the diamond ring glinting. 

“I didn’t know rings came in sizes but I figured you and I’s fingers are about the same size-”

The room around them exploded into chaos, crowding around X and Zero and patting them on the back, offering their congratulations and “I knew it! I knew there was something between you!” the animaloid yelled how he was owed for “that bet.”

“What is going on here?”

At the sound of their commander’s voice, the crowd broke up and went back to what they were doing, still catching glances at the mortified couple (well X was mortified Zero was likely confused.)

“Commander…” X breathed a sigh of relief as he approached. “Commander Signas, it’s nothing.”

Signas glanced at the box in Zero’s hands. “Doesn’t look like ‘nothing.’”

“Commander! I-”

“Don’t worry about it, we all knew it was going to happen at some point.” he tipped his hat, smiling softly. “Congrats-”

“N-no it’s a misunderstanding! Zero doesn’t even know what a proposal is-”

“You don’t need to hide it from me. While searching for him I came across a book called ‘How to make your Valentine's day romantic.’”

X glanced at Zero and he was a bit startled, cheeks a light shade of pink.

“I was going to ask you a favor but I’ll have someone else take care of it. You lovebirds have a wedding to plan.”

“A what?” Zero spouted 

“No need to play dumb with me Zero. Your secret is out now.”

If anything he looked even more puzzled than before, staring dully at the spot the commander left.

“What’s a wedding?’

Exasperated, X took his arm and dragged him out of the room and to an empty hallway.

“Zero… I just wanted some flowers or something not for you-”

“I’m sorry, it’s just, I just thought- you know... " his face scrunched up like the words were painful to get out. “Gah. You deserve the best… I know I suck at this stuff but I thought that if I managed to pull it off it would’ve been worth it, is all.”

“...Zero… It’s just… well, do you even know what a wedding or marriage is?”

“I thought the gesture was inconspicuous enough,” he said bitterly, “I wouldn’t have done it otherwise. And no, I tried searching up ‘wedding’ but the only thing to come up was ‘a marriage ceremony, especially considered as including the associated celebrations.’ Which isn’t very helpful.”

X sighed. “Alright well, when two people love each other very much… they decide that they want to be with each other forever. And… if they get married their relationship is recognized in the eyes of the law. What you did is just propose. If I accept, then we have, well we don’t have to but, traditionally there’s a wedding ceremony. We stand on an altar and say our vows, we and the guests dress nice, we eat cake and celebrate. If we were well, human, it would usually mean sharing the same place of residence, sharing the same last name, and in some cases… discussing… having children.”

Zero considered this for a moment, staring at the ceiling and back down. "So it is the last phase a relationship can take?”

“I suppose you can say that.”

“Why not then?”

“...Eh?”

“Why not?”

“M-marriage is a big step Zero. Are you sure you’re ready for that?’

“Why is it such a big deal?”

“...I-It just is. When you get married its a long and lengthy process to undo it-”

“Why would we undo it? There’s nothing that would want me to break away from you.’

“B-but…” X swallowed, feeling his face rise in heat. “I don’t even know reploids can get married Zero.”

“Well, we’ll be the first then.”

“...Are… Are you sure about this Zero?”

“Of course, I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“...” X takes a deep breath. He probably should try to explain himself further but… he has in the past dreamt about what it would be like to be married. What he would say in his vows… the sweet taste of cake on his tongue and of course Zero there beside him.

Who better to spend forever with? The person he would spend forever… No matter the cost. 

He outstretched his hand. Zero stared at it for a moment before taking the hint and slide the ring on his finger. 

"Oh…" he got such a surge of emotions staring at how it sparkled… he nearly broke into tears. This represented the bond they shared. Of course, it was such a small thing. But… the idea of one day having that bond being shared…

He felt the tears dripping down his cheeks. Zero was there to brush them away.

“Are you okay?’

“I’m more than okay. I think this was a wonderful idea Z… seeing it…” he holds it up, glittering even brighter in the full light. He kissed him lightly on the lips.

Zero chuckled and wrapped both of his arms around him. “Come on I went through all that effort I deserve more than that.” 

"I guess you do." X smiled and placed both hands on his chest. Standing on his tippy-toes for a kiss that was sure to-

“Wait, hold on, now everyone knows! How are we-”

“For God’s sake, we’ll figure that out later. I’ve been wanting this all day.”

His lips crashed onto his.

Well.

That settles it he supposes.

Although Zero probably gets a little too into it, the sparks that fly and electricity that pools through their circuits in the shared connection is far too sweet to break from, his mind feeling a bit hazy and only snapping to reality when he realized he was still in public.

“Not here!” he hisses.

“Fine…”

“I swear I’m going to throw this ring at you.”

“How many times am I going to hear that before it happens?”

“Oh hush.”

Zero pulls him into another hug, kissing his forehead gem. “I love you, you know.”

“And you kill me. But I love you too Z…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next one is not fluff.


	4. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> X dreams about his sun- who's name he cannot remember.

The night rises and his breath falls. Coming and going in fits.

His fingers twitch by his side. Breathing in and out, in and out, in and out. Chest sore and aching. His mind pings at him and reads out a self-diagnostics report. 

…

DIAGNOSTICS REPORT

Optics… **OFFLINE.**

Vocals… **ONLINE**

Nervous system... **DAMAGED**

Memory… **DAMAGED**

Hearing… **DAMAGED**

His hearing aids pick up the fuzzy voice of someone talking, 

“This is all my fault…”

“It isn’t your fault.”

“It might as well be.”

“You tried to protect him… Even if he doesn't know that…”

That voice… Who is it?

His vocal cords hiss and crack as he tries to speak, with a voice unfamiliar to his own ears, he says, 

“Z...Zero?”

That name... Why did he say that?

The voices stop and pick up again, closer.

“X? Can you hear me?”

He responded back...

“Z-Zero…” Something brushes against his hand. The feeling… In some parts of his hand, he can feel warmth, like the sun, the sun bestowing its glory onto him. But in other parts, he can’t even feel a ghost of warmth.  
The sun...

“Z...Zero… You are… face… is like the sun. Even when I can’t see you, I can feel your warmth…”

Has he said this before? I sounded so natural, so innate, on his tongue.

After a few moments, the warmth disappeared.

“You’ve done enough now.” Another familiar voice said. With a little digitized twinge, like a computer speaking. “It’s time for you to leave this world.”

Leave?

“NO! Zero! Please! Don’t go!” the volume levels of his voice broke, quiet one moment and loud the next. He wonders if he could even tell what he was saying.

“...Just like I am your sun… Even when you are away… I feel like you’re always protecting me, X.”

X.

“X!”

He jumps up, sitting in his recharge capsule.

“Alia…”

Her blue eyes and blond hair jump out at him for a moment. Reminding him of… Of… Someone. He was dreaming about someone, wasn’t he?

She sighs, tapping her pen against the clipboard in her arms. “Jeez, it took you a while to get up. Don’t worry me like that… Ever since you came back... “

X shook his head and stood up, “Don’t worry about me like that Alia. I promise I’m fine.”

“...Did you… Dream about him?”

“...About who?”

“...Zero.”

“...” he frowned, his head suddenly aching, chest feeling… hollow. That name… it sounded… familiar.  
“Why do you ask?”

“...In your sleep… I heard you… Murmuring his name. You called him the sun. You said… Even when he isn’t near… You can feel his presence.”

“...Zero… The others. They keep asking me. If I remember him. My hunters...” he straightens out his back and shoulders, standing almost at attention, peering up slightly as Alia is a little taller than he is. “Alia, Do you know who Zero is?”

She sighed. “As a former scientist… X, your systems are amazing. But they are also mysterious. No one in the world will ever fully understand you, how you function. Except for your creator. And he’s-”

“Dead.”

Alia nodded. “But… When you returned, not even with a scratch, X… Your systems are even more mysterious than they ever were. Not even you know how you’ve forgotten Zero.”

“Forgotten? I’ve… forgotten him?” he gazes around the room, thinking for a moment. The harsh fluorescent lights beam down at them, the room still dimly lit. he frowned. That didn’t sound right. “If… If in my dream I described him as… my sun. He must have been important.” he tilted his head slightly to the side, gazing into her eyes. “Wasn’t he?”

Alia’s eyes looked downcast, turning away from his gaze, looking around the room and at the exit, the metal door bolted in place with its code access key, numbers, glowing blue. After a moment she looks back at X and nods.

“He was. He was the most important person- No, the most important anything to you. You and him… were attached at the hip. An inseparable pair. Not just hunting partners… But the closest two friends could ever hope to be.”

“...Then… Why don’t…” he stared down to his boots and the grey metallic flooring and swallowed. “Why don’t I remember him?”

“None of us know. Signas, Douglas, me, Lifesaver… We’re all clueless about what happened. We even went through your memory banks- sorry we didn't ask but, we just wanted to know if there were any irregularities in your memories and well… I read your report about fighting Sigma for the first time. Your mission… You remember that correct?”

He nodded. 

“But you don’t remember who you saved from Vile. You don’t remember Zero saving you from Vile. You don’t remember Zero dying in your arms…”

“...He… Saved me from Vile?” he quickly searched and zipped through his memory banks. He doesn’t remember ever being saved. He remembers struggling to get out Vile’s grasp… and…

And…

It’s a blank. There’s nothing after that but he can recall how he felt-with an alarming sense of purpose, he defeats Chill Penguin, then Spark Mandrill, and…

But…

It feels empty. It like pieces of a dream from long ago. They don’t seem to be connected completely. Pieces to a jigsaw puzzle are missing… What’s going on?

“I… Why don’t I remember? I can’t… There are gaps missing-”

“I don’t know why. Your data banks… Won’t accept any data from him. In fact.” she gulps nervously clicking her pen. “I think, as soon as we stop talking… You’ll forget about him again. The dream and this conversation. Anything you may have learned about Zero...”

“N-no.. No! NO! I don’t… I don’t want to forget about him! I don’t want to forget about my sun!” He cried, “I want to always feel his presence, his warmth, watching over me!” his voice cracked, hands shaking. Alia watched with wide eyes as he fell to his knees. 

“T-there’s this gaping- hole inside of me and it-it- nothing can fill it up! No matter how many times I dream or talk about my vision for Elysium, for peace, I’ve never felt… Such happiness… Thinking about my sun... Watching over me. I’m going to forget about him?! And his voice… his name… And I won’t remember ever again-” his voice cracks and tears streaming down his face, burning and aching like lava against his synthesized skin. “Alia! ALIA!”

Alia stared, she’s never… Never ever seen him like this. Not even when he was down, and the world was against him, she never dreamed of him like this. Maybe this is why he’s forgotten. Memories erased from his banks. She’s always known… all of Hunterbase maybe knows that he cares deeply about Zero. So maybe… it is better he doesn’t remember. Better to have an empty hole, rather than one filled with sadness… Despair. To believe that his sun will always watch over him, and in his final moments… was not well, a maverick. 

“ALIA! Please, don’t let me forget him… Alia…”

“X…”

“ALIA! PLEASE! PROMISE ME! DON’T LET ME FORGET HIM!

“X!”

“DON’T LET ME-”

“X! You have a meeting with a few rookies from the 17th unit- your unit.”

He was silent for a long moment and stood up, “I do?”

“It’s all here on his clipboard.” 

He took it from his hands, his eyes narrowed in concentration and flickered over the text. “I see… I’ll take care of it then. You have a good day alright Alia?”

She nodded, “Take care, X.”

He left the room, not questioning or even retaining anything from the conversation they just had. She’s sure that if she asked him she’d get a blank look. It isn’t worth the effort. She wonders how his mind will rationalize the tears.

“Alia.” Signas’ voice coursed through her comms. She placed a finger up to her audio receptors and responded, “Yes Commander Signas?”

“We need you here on duty, stat.”

“Alright, I’ll be there.”

“...How is X coping?”

“...Not good. He almost remembered… I think. But as soon as I changed the topic, he was a whole new person again. Sometimes, I almost wish he was back the way he was before. This X… is wrong somehow. He isn’t quite right.”

“I know how you feel Alia but-”

“-Tell everyone at Hunterbase not to talk about Zero. I think it might upset him again.”

“...Alright. I’ll be sending out a message soon.”

“Thank you. I’ll be there in a moment.”

“Copy that.” she removed her hand and took one last gaze around her surroundings.

“X…. Even if you can’t feel your sun. Even if you don’t know its there… it will always be there. Even now, he is always looking out for you. I don’t believe in miracles… But one day, the two of you will meet again. I’m sure of it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told you it wasn't.


	5. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talking about what happens again on the orbital elevator

So this is it.

Sigma is gone.

X repeats that to himself, over and over. He can hardly stand it. 

He can hardly believe it. 

Zero is leaning against the glass of the orbital elevator, eyes closed arms crossed, calm. 

X looks away from the endless void of space and at Axl, unconscious in his arms, the gem on his forehead broken, crackling and shattered into a spider web. It is a little concerning how it glows a little purple, but he chalks that up to unused energy in the gem vaporizing rather than anything ominous. 

But-

Sigma is gone.

Gone gone. 

After years and years and years and YEARS of fighting him, Sigma is finally, finally vanquished. Defeated. The end of him has finally arrived. And while he would like nothing more to celebrate, Lumine’s words have put him in a state of anxious thinking.

The silence is peaceful, and it feels strange- totally and utterly so, like the world around them had completely changed. After the battle just moments ago. 

But then again all battles were usually like that. Loud screaming, slashing, raw adrenaline that chemical that is pumped directly to them- whatever its name is that keep their edge in battles. Fear and energy coursing through their circuits- electrifying and willing- dodge that, shoot now, dodge, shoot, keep moving! 

Lumine's crumpled form, on the ground, lifeless, was very, very haunting to see. Even now all he could think of was the goosebumps that prickled up and down his arms- well not really, but his whole circuit system felt oddly scrambled and anxious, and staring down at his single, lifeless, unblinking eye-

He shuddered. X would prefer it if he had exploded. It's bad enough that they have to do this- he didn't also want to be confronted with what they were truly doing… 

If they could help it. 

He sounded so certain that well, the world… All of it would be changing…

But how soon? Evolution… If it really is that then…

He glanced down his hands. He imagined his buster and the numerous fights throughout his years, the dozens of defeated mavericks gone at his hands… What was all of that for? What are we, as maverick hunters doing? 

“...Are you still thinking about him?”

X turned to Zero, his eyes were open now although his position had not changed. 

“Lumine is full of it. Evolution… It isn’t evolution, it’s just parroting and mimicking Sigma. It’s the opposite of evolution, it’s like taking a step back. No matter how dangerous he was, we still defeated them-”

“But Zero! I don't… It's just… even just the thought of- Again?! Another threat- Another one! Again?! I don’t think I can handle that… I don’t want to handle it. I’m so, so tired-”

“I know. You’re tired of it. I am too.” he closed his eyes again. “You think I like doing this? I’m as sick of it as you are…”

“I just don’t understand any of this Zero. I don’t… Know what he means by that ‘we’ll see’... I wish… I could be as confident as you…”

When he looks up again, Zero is staring down at him, he nearly jumps.

“How were your footsteps so quiet?!”

“...I’m not really that confident X,” he confesses. “I want nothing more than to finally meet the day where we won’t have to fight anymore…” he watches their slow descent from the window. “But if we are destined to be scrap, I’ll fight not only against the mavericks but our own inevitable destinies as well. “

“...That isn’t very comforting.”

A small smile twitched at his lips. “And I was actually trying. You’re hard to please you know that?”

“Well, just saying we’re going to have to fight does not comfort me. I am trying to be serious here. But you’re taking it as a joke.”

Zero frowned, “I am not. I wouldn't joke like that and you know it.”

X does know that. For how much know him, he's never once made fun of or belittled him for having or thinking these thoughts, even when other people used to laugh and write him off, he always listened, he always put his two cents in. Knowing that he was was always there for him…

It puts a smile on his face. That comforts him far more than his insistence he will always fight. But thinking about it, knowing he always has someone on his side is comforting in his own right. His insides fluffed about like clouds, feeling warm and sunny. 

"Zero?"

"Hm?"

"...What do you fight for?"

"…"

His silence was deafening, and X felt the need to explain himself, 

"I-I mean, I know you don’t like humans very much so you aren't fighting for their sake. I know you were built to fight, but beyond all that, why? You’re pretty well-known so if you refused to fight… And retired as I did-

"That's something I've been wondering myself for a long, long time. Ever since… Iris was around. "

"That feels like forever ago now.” X says, "I don think Axl or any of the new generation knows what Repliforce was..."

"It's better that way. Don't need to give them ideas. But I think I figured it out." He smiled with a bit of hubris. "I fight for you, X."

Oh.

X's grip on Axl tightened without him meaning to. 

"I feel the same way, Zero.”


	6. Distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> X longs for what is not possible.

Hunterbase is silent. Eerily so. The clouds outside are grey and tearfully cry. Thunder rumbles after a flash of white light strike through the cool air. Zero stares silently out the window and the view of the city. Despite the storm reploids and humans are still bustling with umbrellas in all colors. Patterns of cartoon characters, some in multi-colors, arranged in a pattern. He spotted a clear umbrella with pictures of fluffy clouds. Standing out in a sea of opaque colors. 

“Zero.”

He turns at X’s voice, his hands empty, his gem barely glowing in the dim light from outside. The lights over their heads switched off to conserve electricity.

“X.” He turns back to the window. X follows his gaze and the two stand in silence, bathed in dull light, watching the people move. 

“...I’ve been doing some thinking, Zero.”

“When are you not?”

X silently chuckles. “You're right... But it's about something serious.”

“Like?”

“About us…”

“You sound like you’re going to break up with me,” he jokes.

“...It’s related to that.”

Now Zero is just confused and looks away from the window. “What do you mean?”

X is silent for a very pregnant pause. His hand moved over his blue chest plate, green eyes flickering up, meeting his own. “This feeling… this bond I share... Zero, it isn’t friendship, it’s love.”

“...Love?”

Another flash of lightning, thunder rumbles seconds after. The humans outside pick up their pace. X isn’t affected by the powerful noise and his eyes are locked firmly on him. 

Perhaps Zero should have known this. Perhaps he should have seen this coming. But nothing could have prepared him for this moment. For X to declare his feelings for him, and to gaze, expectant, for his response.

But what could he say? 

X swallowed throat rolling, another quirk of his.  
“...Zero? I know this is a shock but-”

“X.”

He fell silent again. 

“...I don’t know… If… Actually, I know. I can’t feel love.”

“...Surely you can-”

“No, X. I don’t think I can.”

“B-but... “ behind his eyes something was shimmering, begging to come forth, his expression, edges of desperation took claim. “Iris.”

Yes, Iris… Iris was… She was something alright. She should have been his love, but she wasn’t. Love wasn’t the right word to describe her, love wasn’t the right word to describe anyone.

He knew this, he knew it the moment after she died. Sorrow and rage and frustration at himself for taking it so far. At the world for forcing this exchange. At Colonel for being so DAMN stubborn and sticking with Repliforce. At the knowledge that a world of just reploids, really was impossible.

But love had nothing to do with it. He cared for Iris just as he cares for X. Although he hates to imagine what it would have been like if X had died at his hands-

He feels… sadness at that.

“I can’t feel love, X.”

“But… You care about Iris. You care about Alia a-and Signas and-”

“I care about you, more than anyone else. But I don’t… Love is supposed to be a special type of feeling.”

“It is,” X said breathlessly. “I’m always aware when you’re nearby. My systems slow down sometimes and feel… fuzzy. Like the world is turned on its head sometimes… it feels… so nice.”

“But I can’t do that. I don’t feel that way. I’ve… never felt that way.”

“...I knew it. I knew that you hadn’t. I knew you weren’t capable of it. I knew you weren’t… I helped Dr. Cain rebuild you. I’ve seen the inside of your head, your systems. I knew you weren’t a-advanced enough. I know you from the inside and out. Even now, they are as clear as when I first helped Dr. Cain. Like it was all yesterday… But…”

Oh. 

Tears drip from his eyes. He looks crestfallen, to his boots. His hands closed into fists. “But I wanted… so bad… for you to return my feelings...I wanted to believe so badly-”

“Have you always felt this way?”

“...I-I’ve always admired you Zero… I always had…”

“You admire me?”

“Of course I do Zero! Your strength and determination… I was a wreck after… You… you left me. I was a wreck. But after you and Iris… you pulled through so quickly and you were stronger than ever. It spoke to me… that the distance between us, even now there are still things I could never hope to-”

“I could never hope to do some of the things you do X.” 

“...Like what?”

“You can cry.” X wiped the tears from his face with wide eyes. “You have these… ways of expressing emotions… That not anyone here can even dream of. You don’t seem to even realize it. But you are so painfully human, sometimes it feels like you weren’t built by human hands, and sculpted by what humans call God.”

“You really believe that?”

“It’s the eyes. It always feels as if there… something more back there. Like you have a soul.”

“Zero…”

“You have already surpassed me in so many ways. You talk about the distance between us and you’re right. I wasn’t sure at first when we first met. But there's a whole world of difference between us. You could so easily blend with the humans if not for the fact you could outlive all of them. And you have once again surpassed all of us. You are capable of love. Which is something, not I, or Iris, or Signas, or Alia, or even Sigma could ever achieve. But I always knew you were capable of it. You love the humans… You love the world they have built, and it is because you love it you want to defend it.”

“Zero-”

“I wish I could love you X. I want to share those feelings… But I already know I couldn’t. It is a miracle I’m even able to feel sadness. That I am able to desire, to want to feel those things. With my creator being who he is, the fact that I want to see you happy…”

“Dammit… Dammit Zero! Dammit... “

Zero knows an embrace isn’t what he wants, but he does it anyway and lets him softly weep into his chest, shuddering every once and a while. 

“It’s not fair Zero… It’s not fair.”

“I know.”

“I wanted you to feel me, to feel my love… but it’s impossible you can’t, you can’t-”

“That’s right,” Zero says bitterly. “I can’t… I wish I could but…”

“Maybe in another life, we could have been-”

“We are reploids X. Like it or not… there isn’t anything else for us.”

X shakes his head, “I don't believe that Zero. One day, I swear it you will be able to feel how much I love you…”

Zero sighed and shook his head. “That sounds like a wonderful dream X… But we all know that it just isn't possible.”

“It will be! Someday Zero! I will close this distance between us! Maybe when this war has finally ended, maybe then, you will be able to love me, and feel the love I have for you.”

“...Alright X. I don't believe it all too much, but for you, I’ll stake hope in your dream once again.”

“Thank you Zero… You always believe in me… Even when I sometimes can’t believe in myself.”

He stepped from their embrace and held Zero’s hand, once again staring out the window, a streak of lightning coming down and igniting with the earth.

And Zero wished, even just for a moment, he could feel something other than the warmth from his hand. And to feel even a sliver of what X speaks about…

But he knew that it was impossible. It just would never come to fruition. And eventually, his hand was cold and empty, and X left.

And for a long time, they didn’t talk about the conversation they had on that rainy day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next thing is going to blow y'all away, stay tuned.


End file.
